Inexpensively Frugal Blog Network » Heather Sokol

30 Slow Cooker Recipes for Summer

Heather Sokol — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:02:45 +0000

Slow cookers aren’t just for winter anymore!

You can do so much more than soups and stews in your slow cooker. Now is the time to enjoy your favorite comfort foods without heating up the kitchen. You can also cook some of your favorite summery foods, while you’re away at the pool all day.

It’s also the perfect way to prepare the side dishes for your summer barbecue. Grill the entrees outside, and keep the heat out of the kitchen. And, did you know there are dessert crockpot recipes? That’s one thing I miss when I retire the oven for the summer — yummy baked treats.

So, as we approach a busy summer—not to mention a super hot week—here are 30 slow cooker recipes to keep your kitchen cool:

Mexican Slow Cooker Recipes

Chicken Fajitas
Chicken Tacos
Enchiladas
Taco Chicken Bowls

Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

Apricot Chicken
Rotisserie Chicken
Chicken Caesar Sandwiches
Sour Cream and Bacon Chicken
Teriyaki Chicken
Cheesy Chicken and Rice

Slow Cooker Side Dishes

Baked Beans
Mashed Potatoes and Brown Sugared Carrots
Potluck Corn
Saucy Green Beans and Potatoes
Sesame Broccoli and Mushrooms

Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

BBQ Beef Sandwiches
Cheese Steak Sandwiches
Lasagna
Meatloaf
Pot Roast Nachos

Slow Cooker Pork Recipes

Easy Barbecued Ribs
Jambalaya
Maple & Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin
Pork Chops
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
San Fransisco Pork Chops

Slow Cooker Desserts

Bananas Foster
Caramel Apple Crumble
Christmas Candy
Molton Chocolate Lava Cake

If you’re looking for a new slow cooker, I’ve been pleased with mine so far. I have the Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Slow Cooker. I like it because the lid latches on, making it perfect for transporting to potlucks without making a mess in your car!

Photo Credits: Kalyn’s Kitchen, Real Food Allergy Free, Real Mom Kitchen, American Family, This Chick Cooks, Elissa Braun

More Mother’s Day Freebies

Heather Sokol — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:37:08 +0000

It isn’t just restaurants that are offering free deals for moms — several other retailers are promoting Mother’s Day offers for this weekend. I wanted to put together a nice list for you, but The Discount Dame beat me to the punch and did such an awesome job that I don’t have much to add!

A special thanks to The Discount Dame of DiscountDame.com for sharing these great Mother’s Day Deals and Freebies:

Bath & Body Works: Send mom an e-card though their Facebook page and she will receive a FREE gift.

Free Printable Coupon Book: You might lay this one around where the kids can find it and gift it to you!

HydroMassage FREE mini-massage for moms

Michael’s: The craft stores are offering several different “Make It and Take It” classes including tutorials on making aprons, flower clips, mugs, and more. Check with your location for a class schedule.

Moms Rising: Free Mom bumper sticker

My Publisher: Free Customized Photo Book

RedBox: Send mom an e-card through their Facebook page and she will receive a FREE movie rental. You can also use the promo code MAY13 for a free rental on Mother’s Day.

VistaPrint 6 Free Products (Plus, check out all the cool things you can create with your freebies!)

Yankee Candle: Buy 2 Get 1 Free printable coupon

Moms Eat Free for Mother’s Day

Heather Sokol — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:32:05 +0000

On Mother’s Day, I get to sleep in, spend a quiet morning on my own, then enjoy my girls for the rest of the afternoon. Typically, we drive a bit in the evening to have dinner with my parents. Mom will pick one of her favorites — and most of my 16-member family will descend on the poor, unsuspecting restaurant. We’re on our own for lunch, though, and I’ll probably be checking out one of these places where Mom eats free!

Karen at Saving the Family Money has put together a fantastic list of participating restaurants, and I’ll be adding my own finds as they come up. As always, check your location to make sure they are participating.

Beef O’ Brady’s: Mom’s eat free on Mother’s Day May 13th. (Up to $10 Value)

Champps: Mother’s Day weekend May 11-13 Moms that come in will receive a card loaded with $10 off a $25 purchase on the first of every month (while supplies last).

Crispers: Free entree for Mom with purchase of entree of equal or lesser value on May 13.

IKEA: Free breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and potatoes and a cup of coffee on Mother’s Day. Good from opening until 11:00am on May 13, 2012. Limit one per family. Value $1.74.

Medieval Times: Friday May 11th – Sunday May 13th, Mom’s get in free with the purchase one full adult admission. Use code: MFWEB All mom’s in attendance on Mother’s day get a free flower.

Scotty’s Brewhouse: All moms receive a free VIP card on Mother’s Day. Plus, kids already eat free at Scotty’s Brewhouse and Burger Joint locations on Sunday. ($10 Value)

TCBY – Moms get 5 ounces of free yogurt on Mother’s Day (participating locations)

Tony Roma’s : Mom’s get a free entree on May 13th with coupon at participating locations.

Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen: Like them on facebook to enter to win a iPad and you will also receive a coupon for a Free entree for mom with purchase of an entree item for a family member!

{The New Home Ec} Fix It or Trash It? When to Throw Away or Keep Your Stuff

Heather Sokol — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:07:36 +0000

We've become a throwaway society: something isn't working right, and our first instinct is to replace it altogether. But, there are a lot of things around the house that could be repaired just as easily — and for a lot less money. That's why we still have the "temporary" dining room table my parents gave us when we moved in here 10 years ago. Instead of replacing the entire set when the chairs began falling apart, we have made a few minor adjustments. First, we upholstered the dying chairs. We finally did replace the chairs when but have kept the perfectly functional table. We have been using a tablecloth to hide the imperfections on the tabletop. (Bonus: update your kitchen with an inexpensive linen purchase.) The decision to repair or replace depends on several factors — your personal finances at the time, the difficulty level or cost of a repair, the age of the item, and how often you actually use it in the first place. If money is tight, I'm more likely to fix it myself. If the repair costs almost as much as a replacement, I'm going to just get a new one. And, if it's not something I use often in the first place, I'll either make do or get rid of it altogether. Check out a few tips for the broken stuff in your house on Babble.com...

Star Wars Day Amazon Gold Box Deals

Heather Sokol — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:42:18 +0000

Happy Star Wars Day—May the 4th be with you!

Amazon is celebrating Star Wars Day with Gold Box deals all day long. The force is strong with this one. (Oh, my. Is my geek showing yet?)

The deals kick off with Star Wars Blu-Ray for only $78.99. That’s actually a little less than our preorder price from last year!

We’ve watched ours all the way through (You know, Episodes IV-VI, then I-III—the way it should be.) at least once already.

Gold Box deals will be updated every few hours, and I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of merchandise deals they have. It might be a great opportunity to buy ahead for my nephew, who has finally become a big Star Wars fan.

Be sure to check back with Amazon throughout Star Wars Day to see the features. And, May the Fourth be with you. Always.

Canvas Galleries: FREE and Discounted Prints

Heather Sokol — Thu, 03 May 2012 20:16:48 +0000

I think it must be Canvas Gallery Week or something — have you seen all the daily deals today? I’m excited to take advantage of freebies and use some some referral credits so we can update our walls!

The canvas print we gave our mom for Christmas has been a big hit with visitors. I’d love to have something in my own home.

Check out these deals:

Pixiwraps Eversave: $34 for a 20×20 canvas print

Easy Canvas Print Plum District deal: $27 for a 16×20 canvas print

Canvas People: FREE 8×10 or $50 off any size. An 8×10 isn’t very big, but there are several fun ways to create cool displays out of the deal. (First one free everyday — no expiration date or coupon code required.)

What will you have printed this week?

{The New Home Ec} 24 Awesome Ways to Reuse Baby Wipes Containers

Heather Sokol — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:41:50 +0000

I still have baby wipe containers all over the house, even though we haven't had a baby in diapers for more than 3 years. They make such great storage containers — the toy room has stacks of containers filled with cars, puzzles, and more tiny toys than I can count. We have wipes containers in the office, the garage, the kitchen, and bathrooms. They're filled with items we use everyday, things we need to tuck away, and stuff I'd never find again if it weren't neatly stacked and labeled in the perfect container. I've put together a list of my favorite uses — and some new ones that make me wish we were still buying wipes! Check out these ideas for repurposing baby wipe containers on Babble.com...

Hot Amazon Deal: Refurbished Kindle Fire $139

Heather Sokol — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:27:00 +0000

The amazing Refurbished Kindle Fire deal is back!

It’s no iPad, but the Kindle Fire is an inexpensive alternative that features popular apps, web browsing and games along with the Kindle eReader Amazon fans know and love. It is ordinarily $199, so you’re already getting a significant savings over an Apple device, while retaining the features most users need.

My mom got one a few months ago and uses it to read books, send email, and check Facebook. That’s about as far as my dad goes with his much pricier iPad.

And, right now, you can save even more with a new stock of Refurbished Kindle Fires! For just $139, you’ll get a preowned Kindle Fire that has been refurbished, tested, and certified to work like new. It also includes the same one-year warranty as a new Kindle, so what do you have to lose?

This price is $30 off the regular price of a refurbished Kindle Fire. These are available only while supplies last, and I imagine this is a deal that will go quickly. Buy yourself a like-new Kindle Fire, or get one now for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or upcoming birthday gifts—you just can’t beat the price!

Originally published 3/27/12

12 DIY Projects for Your Next Birthday Party

Heather Sokol — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 04:17:30 +0000

Around here, we're in the minority with our at-home birthday parties. We just can't budget the expensive parties at bounce houses, playlands, and other fancy-schmancy party spots. So, I work extra hard to plan super fun parties around a theme the birthday girl can get excited about. My girls plan their parties all. year. long. Seriously. Lorelai announced the day after her coveted Halloween party that she was having a tea party the next year. And, she did. My Fancy Nancy tea party was a big hit with my 6-year-old and her friends. She's been planning her 7th birthday ever since, but I still have half a year to go! Having a party at home means that I can completely control the budget — and have a little fun with the year's theme. Check out these fun projects that you can tweak to fit any party, on Babble.com...

{The New Home Ec} 10 Inexpensive Updates for Your Kitchen

Heather Sokol — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:48:12 +0000

I spend a lot of time in my kitchen — breakfast, lunch, dinner, supervising numerous snacks — so it doesn't take long for the look to get stale. Unfortunately, everything in there is just so big that I'm kinda stuck with it. We don't have much wall space to simply update decor. And, we won't be updating appliances until they completely die on us. That's why I was so thrilled to see this $700 kitchen remodel. It's still out of my budget, but it did give me a few ideas. "For a cheap renovation, look for ways you can utilize what's already in your kitchen, and pick projects you can delve into yourself without paying a contractor," says Katy Carter. My head has been swimming with ideas ever since. Check out small changes that could make a big difference on Babble.com...